New NC Laws On Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, And Drones

Twenty new laws go into effect Friday in North Carolina. They include “Britny’s Law,” named after 22-year-old Britny Puryear. She was shot and killed by her boyfriend, who had a history of abuse, at their Fuquay-Varina apartment in 2014. The law makes it easier for prosecutors to pursue a first-degree murder charge in a case involving domestic violence if a defendant has a prior domestic violence conviction or a conviction of stalking the victim.

Also taking effect Friday are new standards and licensure requirements for massage parlors. The changes are an attempt to cut down on human trafficking at the businesses that are sometimes used as fronts for prostitution.

It’s also now a misdemeanor to fly a drone too close to a prison, jail, or other correctional facility. It becomes a felony if the operator of the drone is trying to deliver contraband inside the facility.

Other laws taking effect today are aimed at cracking down on gang activity and revenge porn and at regulating self-driving cars.